Written in 2003, this novel is about a set of different topics which are considered in detail. The book raises many questions, but there is no doubt that this story is rich in ambiguity. Since the author avoids discussing and explaining his works at all costs, it is up to reader to look for the meaning of this novel.
However, one many make an assumption that Elizabeth and her dedication to animals’ rights is Coetzee himself. Although the writer has never been afraid to express his position on social and political issues, he has started advocating for animals’ rights not so long time ago. Just like the protagonist of the novel, he speaks against modern animal husbandry. Both of them the author and the protagonist of his novel are vegetarians, who believe that by eating meat one commits a certain kind of a crime.
It is quite possible that all those speeches Elizabeth gives and discussion she takes part in are his too, that he uses them in his everyday life. The only one thing readers can be sure of is that the problems, which worry Elizabeth makes him uneasy too. Her protests against injustice are his protests too. This is the story about moral dilemmas, the world itself and a place of a writer in it.
